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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23844922">Independence Night</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Broken_arrow32/pseuds/Broken_arrow32'>Broken_arrow32</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Young Justice, Young Justice (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Batfamily, Batman - Freeform, CADMUS - Freeform, DC comics - Freeform, Young Justice - Freeform, dc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:08:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,037</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23844922</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Broken_arrow32/pseuds/Broken_arrow32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This story follows what happened with Robin and Batman after the young bird and his friends, Aqualad and Kidflash, snuck into Cadmus and freed superboy. This fic takes place in between the first two episodes of Young Justice! Hope you enjoy!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Independence Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>”i’ll need three days to make my decision.” Batman said as he stared at the three young recognized heroes and their new-found friend, a clone of Superman. He was focusing on all four children in front of him as the entire Justice League stood behind him, but he was giving more of his attention to one particular child more than the three next to him. His little bird, Robin. Robin popped up from under the rubble of the collapsed building, and didn’t look too injured, but he was in more pain then he was showing. The bat could tell. He knew his bird better than anyone or anything. An hour and a half later, Robin had been stitched up and showered. So there he sat, on a table behind the batcomputer, watching as his father tapped away at the tech. 
</p><p>”are you even going to consider my addition to mine, Wally’s and Kaldur’s defense?” the young boy asked from the table behind who he was speaking too. The bat sighed.
</p><p>”Dick-”
</p><p>”no, I'm serious, Bruce! Why waste the time and bother teaching us if you’re not gonna let us prove we know how to use what you gave us! If you won't let us prove that we can get the job done without you there! That we can complete the mission and have it under control without you! Why trust us with these teachings if you’re not gonna trust us to use them when you’re not there?” Dick rambled impatiently, barely taking a pause to breathe. 
</p><p>”it’s not that i don’t trust you, Dick. i just- i know you can handle yourself and take care of yourself without me. I do trust you, kiddo. I always have. I guess I-.. I'm just turning into the overprotective father. Dick look at you. You did good work tonight, I'll give you that, but you’re covered in bandages. And seriously, kiddo. No offense, but you're almost 14 years old, you're four feet and six and a half inches tall and barely weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet.” Bruce responded. 
</p><p>”i just don’t wanna have to worry about you being safe. We both lost our families, but we gained new ones in the process. I'm just trying to protect you. I know you don’t need it, but i just can’t help it. But you still deliberately disobeyed me. And what’s worse, you put Wally and Kaldur in danger.” Bruce informed, turning his tone slightly more serious as he went on. 
He did fail, however, to catch the devilish smirk that flickered across his child's face. Dick quickly turned his expression sad, doing his best to look like a kicked puppy.
</p><p>”i was just trying to be like you…” Dick said, doing his best impression of Simba from Disney's The Lion King.
</p><p>”you’re not afraid of anything…” 
</p><p>Bruce was about to continue but stopped himself as he caught on to the reference being played off how he worded his earlier sentence. He turned to face the younger ebony and saw the smirk lying behind the child’s expression. He smiled and played along, mentally cursing himself for unintentionally teaching his child how to get away with anything. 
</p><p>”I was tonight…” Bruce quoted, doing his best impression of Mufasa. It wasn’t the first time Dick did this. Bruce knew that Simba and Mufasa were exactly how Dick thought of Bruce and Himself. 
</p><p>”you were?” Dick questioned. Knowing he was the only one alive that could get away with this, he had to hold back a chuckle.
</p><p>”i was afraid I might lose you-” Bruce sat down next to Dick on the table and put his arm around the younger's shoulders. Dick finally let out a small laugh. A laugh of pure joy. At that moment Bruce knew that no matter what, this was his boy, and he always would be his boy.  And Bruce would do anything for his boy. It wasn’t something he said out loud or ever hinted at, but it was something anyone who knew the real him found out the second they saw the dynamic duo together. It was something every leaguer knew. Whether they stated that they knew or not was never given much attention, but they all knew. Even the new members. It was something you wouldn’t see at first, but the second you see Bruce and Dick together, you know Bruce would do anything for his child. It was something a lot of people didn’t even understand at first, but that changes the second you interact with the little bird and you quickly discover that you would want the little bird happy and safe too. When Bruce looks into his child's eyes he still sees the sweet innocent boy from the circus. Anyone who knew Dick when he was little like that would too. It was a forcive habit. How could they not when the boys bright dark blue eyes still held the same light and childlike wonder in them?
</p><p>”i guess even kings get scared huh?” Dick continued the roleplay. Bruce laughed, earning an outburst of giggles from the thirteen-year-old next to him. 
</p><p>”If you four do form a team and I say yes, I wanna make sure it’s done right. Come here, I want you to see what I've got so far-” Bruce got up and pulled Dick over to the batcomputer, pulling the child into his lap. He started explaining his plan so far, but trailed off about half-way through his explanation when he heard soft, light snoring. He quickly glanced down and saw that the little bird had fallen asleep and was out like a light in his lap. The bat smiled softly and picked his little bird up, carried him up to his room and set him in his bed, tucking him in snuggly. He kissed the boy on the head softly, quietly whispering a “goodnight, my cub” before leaving the room. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t check the room for threats before he left, though.  With his bird tucked safely into bed, sound asleep, Bruce headed back down to the cave. Maybe Dick was right about the young sidekicks needing a little more recognition and independence. Just maybe.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hiya! Hope you enjoyed this short story! If your interested in keeping up with me and my stories feel free to follow my Instagram @/shooting.broken.arrows and keep yourself updated!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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